As per the rather quiet week (last week) we just got back into town from our ten day vacay at my parents' house in San Diego. Prior to the birth of the twins we visited often, sometimes even once a month, but in the last year have only been able to make it down a handful of times so it's always a little sad packing up the van and saying goodbye to all of my mother's home-grown vegetables.
Mo children, less road trips. At least for the next couple of years. (Bo and Revi are not what one would call "car babies" but we're working on that. We're working on making the Odyssey a memorable second home for the Ghost of Family Vacations' Future. In the meantime, we get what we get and we don't get upset.)
My cousin Erica was in town to throw her mother a surprise 60th birthday party so our kids got to spend some time together which happens seldom and is my favorite thing ever in all of life.
My kids don't have any first cousins (and won't for many years) so my cousins' kids (their second cousins) and MY second cousins (their second cousins once removed) are as close to them as anyone, regardless of the distance in their ties.
One of the main reasons we wanted to go for baby pregnancy #3 was because we knew our kids wouldn't have cousins their age to grow up with. I was lucky enough to live down the street with mine and today, our closeness is more like a sisterhood.
Not that second cousins aren't just as wonderful, because they totally are.
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| With my cousin's daughter, Jade (who will soon be a big sister! Hooray!) |
As are second cousins once removed.
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| Bo and Revi with my second cousin, Emma, who was with us most of the week. |
And siblings. Which are like cousins you get to live with and have in your corner forever and (hopefully) ever. Team AFBR. (Or, BARF. They're cool with "BARF".)
And while Archer (from day one) has doted on Fable, same with Bo and Revi, so has Fable been an equally loving big sister. Sure, there have been moments of "middle child," as well there should be damnit. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for her to go from "baby" to big sister to TWO, but beyond the expected glitches of rivalry, Fable is as much her sisters' keeper as her brother was to her. Doting and attentive and gentle and loving. And older. Nothing makes a three year old look NOT THREE than holding a toddler in her arms.
(Fable was fortunate enough to study under one of the great professors of "Older Siblingdom," Dr. Archer S Amazingbro.)
I know I probably said somewhere that I would never in a million years do the matching swimsuit thing but I did. I went to Target many moons ago and I bought three matching swimsuits for my girls and Fable was SO pumped and the babies are babies so they're, like, whatever, and I'm pretty sure I'll be buying them matching swimsuits until I'm 100 years old and I don't even care what anyone says and that's final.
Not that the babies wore their swimsuits more than twice. Bathingsuits on babies are kind of like shoes, adorably pointless, complete and total decorative pains in the ass.
My friend Angela came down to hang with us for a couple days which was awesome. Angela and I have been friends for almost thirteen years and girlfriend is a huge source of GIRL POWER JUST DO IT TO HELL WITH WHAT PEOPLE SAY RAHHHHHH! in my life. Not only is she an incredibly talented photographer and filmmaker (she's been working on a self-funded documentary for more than three years, traveling the world, hustling toward a dream that is SO close I want to cry just thinking about it.) Because WHO DOES THAT? Who goes for it that fearlessly? Invests everything they have in something so huge? Angela Boatwright does. The lady is limitless and she makes me feel like I can be too. Role models of the world, unite and go swimming.
"Rainbow Eyes" by: Fable
Poor Fable had croup for three nights last week. We've been fortunate enough all these years to have never experienced it until now because SHIT, that was scary. The barking cough up every hour flailing and miserable? THAT SOUND. No. NONONONONOFUN. Poor kid. But thankfully it got better on its own without having to take her in for meds.
(Thanks to all of you in Instagram for your advice. It was really helpful and made the experience far less scary. You're wonderful.)
Speaking of wonderful, I love this photo with all of my heart and I just realized, now typing this why. Because even though I'm not in the photo, I am. Because beyond the four generations of women, there's something else here:
Two grandmothers looking at their granddaughters with love. And SO blessed am I to be one of them. So blessed am I to be in the presence of so many incredible women.
...and women to be:
...and men to be: 
GGC
32 comments:
There is so much gloriousness here that I can't comment on all of it, but I do want to point out that your BANGS are impossibly perfect, even in the pool!
I seriously cannot get enough of your beautiful family (all generations).
Also, I almost always read the liner notes with my 13-month-old son in my lap (coincidentally, today I did not because he's napping). And when he gets excited seeing your pictures, I regularly tell him that if he brings home a girl named Bo or Revi in 18 years that I'll be totally cool with that. Seriously, your family is the sweetest.
My girl hates the car/car seats too. We don't travel more than 15 minutes from home, which is a shame because I've lived in San Diego for 7 months and haven't seen that much of it. Atleast we're only 10 minutes from the beach.
Matching clothes and swimsuits work for your girls because they don't look alike. If they were identical, it may be too much.
I'd love to hear how you are working on the car baby effort....??! My 10 1/2 month old won't sleep in the car, and we'd love to be able to take him more places. We've tried a few things - sheet over car seat, white noise playing in car and others. They work OK, but I'm looking for other ideas.
Your realization of the two grandmothers looking at two granddaughters has me bawling. GAH!
How badass are you rocking the front + back carriers?
It's funny, being in the South, we say "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit." Because "get" and "fit" rhyme here. :)
how nice to have so many generations together. we are heading out to MN next week for our 2 y/o Loren to meet his name sake, his grandfather Lauren, and our 1 mo/o Ruthie to meet her namesake, her great great aunt Ruth.
Any one have advice on toys/games to keep a 2 y/o ok in the car for a 23 hour trip?
I love love love the photo of your mom, grandma, and Rev and how your grams is looking at you...sigh...makes me miss my grandma so much :( Enjoy every moment of those lovely ladies!! Looks like your trip to SD was fun. Weather was fab, no?
Oh my word. How do you do it?
The matching bathing suits: TO DIE FOR!
All the pictures tell the story by themselves. Your words.. always restoring and geniune..
"The lady is limitless and she makes me feel like I can be too." --> This is how I feel about YOU!!!
Look at you! Are you rocking a double Ergo? I am so impressed. I have to buck up and figure out how to get my little guy on my back and not just the front.
Lovely photos. Rock on with the matching suits.
lovey-dove-LOVE the tandem babywearing :)
I can't get over how much I LOVE your photos. I need to play around with my camera more.
What a fantastic week!
-Tara
http://madmaxandfamily.blogspot.com
http://blog.chron.com/madabouttown/
Those bathing suits are SO cute! This summer is my favourite because I get to put a bathing suit on a girl (Zielle is 9 months and my first girl). My rule is that it has to be a takini though- makes changing diapers and swimmers 10000 time easier, especially since Zee hates sitting in a wet swimmer, but is in and out of the water often.
Wonderful post and that picture of your mom, nana and Revi made me tear up. xo
You lift my spirit. Thank you Rebecca :-)
Dude, you're so cool. Super inspiring words and rad photos on the regular!
Yikes. Croup is scary. My sister had it a couple times a year throughout her childhood. Oh, that sound. I was just the big sister and that sound made me scared-I can't imagine how my parents felt. I remember my dad turning on the bathtub faucet to as hot as it went, and having my sister lean over the edge so her face could breathe in the steam as they waited it out, his hand rubbing her back and saying "It's okay, baby." Trying to keep her calm so her breath could clear. Apparently my dad had it a lot when he was little, but neither my mom nor I ever had it. (It's so interesting they way that particular ailment 'chooses' who gets it!). Hope your gal is feeling better!
Long-time lurker coming out of hiding to say two things:
1. I am delighted, in my own dorky way, whenever I hear someone correctly identify the "1st cousin, 2nd cousin, 2nd cousin once removed" relationship. Very few people understand how this works, and the fact that you are one who does makes me love you more.
2. My gosh, your mother is so beautiful.
That picture of you in the double Ergo! Power to the moms!!! Go, Rebecca! I am in awe.
I want a Fable original. Girl has some skeelz.
My husband and I are both only children, and I only have two first cousins. He has quite a few but all are about 20 years older than he is. I often think about how if we have kids, those kids won't ever have aunts or uncles or cousins at all.
Except the ones you make up, that is :)
That picture of your mom and grandma made me cry.
GAH! The picture with the Grandmothers. Seriously?! How amazing is that. I hope you have it tripled backed up and prints waiting for you at one hour photo place. What an amazing, amazing thing to have.
I cannot imagine how y'all manage to get EIGHT in the van and travel. We have enough chaos with two adult humans and one dog!
Are you wearing two Ergos? That is seriously badass. I love your blog. I hope to have four little ones, too, Lord willing! We're already halfway there.
Your family makes me happy.
Also, here where I live, (in the South) 'you git what you git and you don't throw a fit.' I never even realized how ridiculous that is because I'd never written it down, and then I said it while visiting my brother (who lives in California) and his daughter, age 4-ish- was like, "Nooooo. You GET what you GET and you don't get upSET," all while looking at me like maybe I wasn't too smart. Made me laugh for a long time.
"GIRL POWER JUST DO IT TO HELL WITH WHAT PEOPLE SAY RAHHHHHH!"
This. Yes. We all need this. :)
Fable is a wonderful artist! So talented...
What is your Boston's name? I have one too, a heavyweight 30 pounder named Elvis. ;) Does yours just let the kids basically walk all over him too?
I just discovered your blog through Babble and can't stop reading it! I love your perspective on life, your darling children, your photography and your writing. You've made me laugh out loud (and possibly tear up) several times. Thank you!
And, I am with you on the matching swimsuit thing. I am pregnant with my second daughter and a friend said to me "Promise me you'll never buy matching clothes for your girls?", and I gave her a great big "hell no!" back, because some things are just too cute to pass up, and being able to put two adorable girls in them? Priceless!
woooh amazing pictures! I love the one of the kids and dogs at the car
My children also don't have first cousins and I also grew up with many. They were the kids we played with in the summer. We went to the beach and had sleepovers and my mother and her sisters had each other. I miss that for my kids and also for me but just as you describe when my cousin and her children are around I love it. The closest thing.
Great post!
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